Improvement in rowlocks



F. GOULD Rowlook No. 207,733. Patented Sept. 3,1878.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FAYETTE GOULD, OF HUNTINGTON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEM ENT lN ROWLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 207,733, dated September 3, 1878; application filed August 20, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FAYETTE GOULD, of Huntington, in the county of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rowlocks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in rowlocks; andit consists in securing a plate or casting having a box-like opening through its center, and provided with a lid for covering the same, upon the top edges of the side of the boat, and in pivoting the two posts which form the rowlock in the ends of the opening, so that they can be closed downward, and the lid then closed down and looked over them, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings represent my invention.

(t represents the gunwale of a boat, upon the top of which is rigidly secured, in any suitable manner, the plate or casting b. There will be a plate or casting for every rowlock, and each plate will be of any desired length, width, or thickness, according to the size of the rowlock. Through the center of each plate there will be a mortise made over the top of a corresponding recess, 0, in the top of the gunwale. At the ends of this mortise, on top of the plate, are formed the projections or flanges d, between which the lid or door 6, which closes down over the top of the mortise g, is hinged. This door, when closed, fits snugly down between the flanges, and rising just flush with their tops forms a finished smooth surface, and when closed is locked by a spring or any other suitable lock. The flanges i of the plate 1) project downward any suitable distance into the recess 0, and betweentheir ends the two posts h, which form the rowlock, are pivoted. These posts have the flanges 0 formed across their outer sides, which perform the double function of stops, to keep the posts from moving too far back, and as handles or holes to raise the posts up after they have been closed downward into the recess. Upon the lower end of each post is formed another stop, n, which catches against the under edge of the flange i, and thus prevents the posts from closing too far down into the recess.

When the posts are closed inward, the door 6 closes down over them, leaving only a smooth finished surface, and as the lock will prevent any one from opening the door unless he has a suitable key, it will readily be seen that the boat can neither be used nor the rowlocks broken or stolen by malicious parties.

If so desired a spring may be placed down in the bottom of the recess, or a separate spring may be connected to each post, so as to throw them open as soon as the lock releases the door.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. In arowlock, the combination of the plate or casting having a mortise through its center for the posts h to be closed down into arecess in the gunwale with the door 6, substantially as shown.

2. The posts h, having the flanges 0, which always project above and transversely across the top of the plate, and which serve both as stops and handles to raise them out of the re cess, as described.

3. The plate I), having the mortise g and flanges i d, in combination with the door 0 and posts h, having the transverse flanges 0, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I h. ve hereunto set my hand this 17th day of August, 1878.

FAYETTE GOULD.

Witnesses:

NATHANIEL G. BRUSH, TIMOTHY F. SOUDDER. 

